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U.S. Chamber: Taxes, deficit could hurt wobbly recovery

There are some positive signs that the damaged economy is starting to recover, but those could easily be snuffed out by policies being put in place by the federal and local governments, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue plans to say in a speech Tuesday morning.

In the Chamber's annual state of American business address, Donohue plans to warn of higher taxes and deficit-spending.

“Most job creators would like nothing more than to keep their workers employed, create new jobs, and bring some hope and relief to families struggling without a paycheck," Donohue's speech reads, according to excerpts provided to The Post. "But when they look at what’s going on in Washington, in the states, and around the world, they see massive tax increases, health care legislation that contains a burdensome mandate on employers and does not control costs, a climate bill and potential EPA regulations that could raise energy prices and impose new layers of bureaucracy, financial services legislation that could choke off their access to capital, a renewed push by unions to pass card check, a trial bar working with allies in Congress to expand opportunities for new litigation, the rise of trade isolationism, and the federal government planning to expand the national debt by at least $9 trillion over the next decade.”

The Chamber has been in a struggle with the Obama administration, which it believes has pursued anti-business policies, especially in its push to reform healthcare. In response, "The White House is moving aggressively to remove the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from its traditional Washington role as the chief representative for big business," Post White House reporter Mike Shear wrote in October.

Check back here later Tuesday for updates and more details on the address.

A CBS News poll -- conducted Jan. 6-10 -- found that 46 percent approve of how Obama is handling his job while 41 percent say they disapprove of the president's performance.

The results marked the first time Obama's approval rating has slipped below 50 percent in CBS News polling. Just last month, 50 percent of Americans approved of Obama's performance in a CBS poll while 39 disapproved.

While support for Obama remains strong among Democrats, his approval rating among Independent voters has dropped dramatically to 42 percent -- a 10-point decline in recent months, according to the poll.

The paramount issue for Americans, according to the poll, is the president's handling of the economic recession. Forty-one percent of those surveyed approve of Obama's efforts to revive the economy, while 47 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

LOOK at the gas prices obozo is causing.
You can't blame Bush/Cheney for the gas prices anymore. Obozo bowed to the Shiek.

Gasoline prices on Monday continued their push toward $3 per gallon. The only question now is when?

Prices have been jumping on the back of a strong oil market where the cost for a barrel has spiked 20 percent in the past month on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Skyrocketing gasoline prices couldn't come at a worse time for motorists, who will see heating bills jump after the worst cold spell in years.

Oil prices are now about three times what they were a year ago.

"There is a long history of tripled oil prices causing consternation among consumers," Peter Beutel of Cameron Hanover said in a report Monday. "We are not there, yet, but gasoline prices at more than $3.00 is certainly an unwelcome sign of consumer distress."

Prices rose 1.4 cents overnight to $2.749 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. Prices have climbed 8.4 cents a gallon in the past week and are 95.5 cents higher than a year ago.